NAHL: Knights Fall 3-0 to Rebels

Friday night saw the Knights travel to Philadelphia for the first of two showdowns with the Rebels this weekend. The game got off to a quick start as the Knights controlled the jump off the opening faceoff. Their efforts were kept at bay by Rebels goaltender Ryan Keane, who came up with difficult saves early and often to keep the game scoreless.

Keane’s equal in net was Christian Stoever (39 saves) who likewise stonewalled multiple quality chances in the opening twenty minutes. The Knights were given the benefit of a power play with 28 seconds remaining in the first. Their first rush into enemy territory was thwarted only by Keane and a lone Rebels defenseman who combined to block a shot in close and deflect a bouncing puck just wide of the crease to close the frame.

The tables would turn in the second as Philadelphia nullified the remaining time on the kill before quickly re-establishing their quick forecheck upon their return to full strength. Around the 4:00 mark, Konur Peterson win the puck down low and circle the net before finding Peter Zhong in front. Zhong would fire home his first goal of the season to give Philadelphia a 1-0 lead. Alex Frye collected the secondary assist on the score.

Backed by continue steady play from Keane, the Rebels would force a power play opportunity just past the halfway point of the period. 30 seconds later Aaron Maguyon would push past the last line of Knights penalty kill and rip a shot past Stoever for the 2-0 lead (Jensen Zerban, Kolby Vegara).

In the third, the Knights push back was kept in check by steady Rebels play in their own end. On their third power play try of the contest, Ryan Patrick re-directed Nicolas Appendino’s shot to the twine to build a definitive 3-0 advantage.

Time ran out on the Knights and their effort to erase the deficit, giving Ryan Keane a 24-save shutout. The pair of teams will meet again tomorrow on NHL ice at the Wells Fargo Center at 7:05 pm EST. Follow along on Knights social media and www.nahl.com!